This is the ship on which the short-term future of Redcar’s steel heritage depends.

For four weeks bulk carrier the Tiger Shandong has sat patiently off Redcar, awaiting its next move.

The vessel contains the coal crucial to keep the Redcar coke ovens operating - vital if the steelworks as a whole is to survive.

If the coke ovens go cold then the plant will never be able to restart.

But until a payment deal is worked out, the vessel is set to remain, frustratingly, on the horizon.

Built in 2011 and sailing under the Hong Kong flag, the 295m long ship is the vessel SSI UK boss Cornelius Louwrens referred to at Monday’s press conference, called to confirm the Redcar steelworks’ mothballing.

It was recently off Queensland, Australia - coal territory - and is thought to have more than 160,000 tonnes aboard.

Asked about the dwindling supplies of coal to fuel the coke ovens, Mr Louwrens said: “Part of the funds that we’ve been receiving, we’ve also used to buy coal to continue to fund the coke operation.

“Our next big dilemma and crisis is to make sure how do we buy the next big shipments of coal, one of which is sat outside (in Tees Bay). Discussions are ongoing to decide how to do that.”

When asked if the money was there to do that, he said: “At the moment, I have no sight of that, of the money being there, but I know the discussions are ongoing to say how can that be funded.”

He added that talks were being held at board level, not with the Government.

But only if those discussions succeed is the Tiger Shandong likely to head into the Tees, bringing with it its crucial coal cargo.

The ship on the left, Cape Natalie has been at anchor since September 4 carrying 160,000 tons of iron ore from South Africa

Steel bosses have admitted it would be terminal for the steelworks if the coke ovens go cold.

Mr Louwrens said they were “desperately trying” to keep the coke ovens operating, but admitted there was only one week’s supply of coal left on site.

Explaining the ovens’ importance, he said coke could still be sold at a loss, but it would be at a much smaller loss than running the whole steel plant.

He added: “Once you’ve lost that coke making facility, it’s not going to restart.

“That’s the focus now - as long as you keep that and can maintain that, you can see the possibility in the future.”

The coke ovens continued to operate last time the blast furnace was mothballed as high prices meant the coke could be sold on.

Little wonder, then, that the Tiger Shandong’s course is being so keenly monitored.

And with so much at stake, its arrival on the Tees can’t come a moment too soon.